Lucas Neill

Lucas Edward Neill (born 9 March 1978) is an Australian Soccer player who currently plays for UAE Pro-League club Al Jazira Club. Lucas Neill is a Left back. Neill had spent almost 15 years of Lucas Neill career playing in England. Lucas Neill represented Australia at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, the 2010 World Cup in South Afrca, and also the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. On 6 October 2006 Lucas Neill was named the 50th captain of the Australia national football team.

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Lucas Neill biography

Lucas Edward Neill (born 9 March 1978) is an Australian Soccer player who currently plays for UAE Pro-League club Al Jazira Club. Lucas Neill is a Left back. Neill had spent almost 15 years of Lucas Neill career playing in England. Lucas Neill represented Australia at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, the 2010 World Cup in South Afrca, and also the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. On 6 October 2006 Lucas Neill was named the 50th captain of the Australia national football team.

Background

Neill grew up in the Northern Beaches (Sydney) of Sydney and was a student at Wakehurst Public School in Belrose, New South Wales and St Augustine's College (New South Wales) in Brookvale, New South Wales, before attending the Australian Institute of Sport Football Program on a football scholarship in 1994–95.

Club career

Millwall

Neill joined Millwall F.C. on a free transfer in November 1995, making Lucas Neill debut on 17 February against Luton Town F.C. in 1996. In almost six years at The New Den, Lucas Neill made 174 appearances in all competitions, scoring 13 goals. In September 2001, Neill, by then the longest serving player at the club, submitted a transfer request

Blackburn Rovers

Neill played Lucas Neill first game for Blackburn in September 2001 against Sunderland A.F.C. and scored Lucas Neill first Blackburn goal later that month against Bolton Wanderers F.C.. Neill is a combative, versatile player. Lucas Neill has played in all defensive positions during Lucas Neill professional career and is a key member for both Lucas Neill club and national team.

Neill was well regarded by Blackburn Rovers F.C. supporters largely due to Lucas Neill never-say-die, determined attitude. Lucas Neill was one of Blackburn Rovers' most consistent performers and held the right back position for over five years without any competition.

Neill's combative and committed style of play in the Premier League attracted criticism in 2003–04 at a time when Blackburn had been criticised routinely for their aggressive play. Lucas Neill broke the leg of Liverpool F.C. defender Jamie Carragher when Lucas Neill trailing leg caught that of the Liverpool player in the fifth game of the 2003-04 in English football season in a tackle at Ewood Park. Carragher, a popular home-grown Liverpool player, was sidelined for six months and the incident sparked a war of words between Gérard Houllier and Graeme Souness after Neill and Lucas Neill manager did not apologise for 48 hours.

Johan Neeskens, who became assistant to FC Barcelona manager Frank Rijkard for the La Liga 2006–07, said that Neill "could play for any of the best clubs". On 4 August 2006 Lucas Neill announced Lucas Neill would not sign a new four-year contract for Blackburn Rovers. The player's agent, Peter Harrison, said "Lucas Neill has enjoyed Lucas Neill time there (Blackburn Rovers F.C.), Lucas Neill loves the club and the fans, Lucas Neill just feels it is time for a change."On 30 August, Liverpool F.C. reportedly made a pound sterling2 million bid for Neill; however, this bid was rejected by Blackburn. The club wanted Stephen Warnock in part exchange for Neill; however Liverpool were not prepared to let the left-back go. In late November, rumours emerged that Chelsea F.C. or even Barcelona F.C. were also interested in Lucas Neill signature. Neill, once a cult hero at Blackburn left under something of a storm and is now extremely unpopular amongst Blackburn fans. Lucas Neill was booed and barracked on Lucas Neill return to Ewood Park in March 2007.

West Ham United

In January 2007 Neill turned Lucas Neill back on a un-confirmed bid from in favour of West Ham United F.C., following the successful transfer of Stephen Warnock from Liverpool to Blackburn. Neill was accused of Lucas Neill primary motivating factor being money, but Lucas Neill later refuted these claims, stating the move was for purely footballing reasons. Neill later alleged to the media that Liverpool had not made Lucas Neill feel truly wanted, and that Lucas Neill had not even spoken to manager Rafael Benítez. Neill made Lucas Neill league debut for the Hammers in February 2007 against Watford F.C., where Lucas Neill picked up a knee injury. Lucas Neill captained the team for the first time during a 3–4 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur the following month and went on to play every remaining game of the season. Lucas Neill became the permanent team captain following Nigel Reo-Coker's transfer to . Neill made Lucas Neill first appearance as team captain in the 1–1 draw against Wigan Athletic on 25 August 2007. Neill scored Lucas Neill only goal for West Ham in a 3–2 away defeat to West Bromwich Albion F.C. in September 2008. At the end of the 2008–09 season Neill rejected a one year contract extension with West Ham, becoming a free agent.

Everton

On 17 September 2009, Neill joined close friend, Tim Cahill at Everton F.C. on a free transfer, signing a one-year deal. Lucas Neill was unveiled to the fans at half time during Everton's 4–0 Europa League win at Goodison Park against AEK Athens F.C..

Neill played Lucas Neill first game for Everton on 23 September 2009 in the Football League Cup, coming on as a second half substitution for Leighton Baines, in their 4–0 victory over Hull City A.F.C.. Neill's first start for Everton in the Premier League was on 25 October 2009 where Lucas Neill played a full match against Bolton Wanderers F.C. setting up two goals.

Galatasaray

On 13 January 2010, Neill agreed to join Turkey side Galatasaray S.K. (football team). It is believed Neill wanted to leave Everton to secure a longer contract. Neill signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with Galatasaray S.K. (football team), linking up with Socceroo teammate Harry Kewell. Neill made Lucas Neill Turkish Super Lig debut for Galatasaray on 24 January 2010 in a 1–0 home win at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium against Gaziantepspor. Neill along with Kewell and several others were released at the end of the 2010–11 season.

Al Jazira

On 19 August 2011 it was announced Lucas Neill had signed a one year contract with UAE Pro League Club Al Jazira Club.

International career

In October 1996, Neill became the third-youngest player, after Duncan Cummings and Harry Kewell, to debut for the Australian national team when Lucas Neill played in a friendly game against Saudi Arabia national football team in Riyadh, aged 18 years and 7 months. Lucas Neill also competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney with the Australian men's team, Australia national under-23 football team.

On 16 November 2005 at Sydney's ANZ Stadium, Neill helped Australia 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (play-off CONMEBOL-OFC) playing the entire game and scoring the Socceroos' second penalty in a shoot-out against Uruguay, after aggregate scores were tied at 1–1 following extra-time. Lucas Neill was named Man of the Match for this game.

Neill started all four of Australia's games at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In the closing minutes of Australia's Round of 16 game against Italy national football team, referee Luis Medina Cantalejo adjudged Neill to have fouled Italian fullback Fabio Grosso in the penalty area. Francesco Totti converted the ensuing penalty kick to score and give the Italians a 1–0 victory, knocking Australia out of the cup.

Following the World Cup, Neill expressed Lucas Neill desire to captain Lucas Neill national side and on 6 October 2006 was named as the 50th player to captain Australia. On 7 October 2006 Lucas Neill made Lucas Neill debut as the Socceroo's captain in a 1–1 friendly against Paraguay national football team, in Brisbane. Four days later, in Sydney, Lucas Neill captained Australia again in an 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualification against Bahrain national football team, which Australia won 2–0. On 2 June 2007, Neill captained the Socceroos again in a friendly match against Uruguay at Sydney's Telstra Stadium in which Australia lost 2–1.

On 13 July 2007, in the dying seconds of the Socceroo's 3–1 loss to Iraq national football team, Neill verbally abused the referee. Lucas Neill received Lucas Neill second yellow card and was sent off, capping a disappointing performance by the Australian side. In the quarter finals of the Asian Cup, Neill missed a crucial penalty in a shootout against Japan national football team which resulted in Australia's elimination from the cup. Neill played Lucas Neill 50th game for Australia in a World Cup Qualifier against Japan, a game that Australia won 2–1 with Tim Cahill scoring both goals.

Controversy

In 2011 Les Murray (broadcaster), an Australian soccer journalist, published a book entitled "The World Game: The Story of How Football Went Global" in which Murray cited an undisclosed source in alleging that Neill had instigated a mutiny just before the Germany vs. Australia game at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Murray alleged that Neill had asked Lucas Neill coach, Pim Verbeek, to leave the room, before describing Verbeek's game-plan as "bullshit" and erasing what the Dutchman had written on a whiteboard, telling the team to play like they normally do. The publication of this story was followed by responses from team members who had been eyewitnesses of the actual events, including Craig Moore, Eugene Galeković and Mile Jedinak, clarifying that such an event, as portrayed in Murray's book, had never occurred. Neill himself protested that before the Germany game it was Mark Schwarzer, and not Neill himself, who had given the team pep talk. A few days after the allegations hit the news, Les Murray retracted Lucas Neill allegations with a full apology, with an undertaking that future editions of Lucas Neill book would have the relevant portion deleted.